These two faces of troubleshooting remain even for those with a lot of computer experience. The real techies out there might have fun with a new challenge longer than beginners, but eventually everyone reaches a point where they just want the thing to work. Please!

A little troubleshooting methodology can help put you back on your electronic feet in the shortest time possible. First we'll take a quick glance at the quandary, then check for common errors, and finally dip some toes in the more complicated problems.

Triage.

Before doing anything rash, it is good to get an idea of how big a problem you're facing. Computer snafus can happen at any time, but oftentimes the most serious occur at startup. For instance, one of the best indicators of a major meltdown is an odd noise emanating from the computer itself when you first turn it on in the morning. Strange grindings might be a cooling fan about to die or even a hard drive crash in the making.

Unfortunately, almost anything you do might make a hard drive problem worse. In a full crash scenario, there's no way around the fact that things are about to get ugly. That leads us to a tip you'll read over and over in troubleshooting stories, but it bears repeating because it is so vital: Make backups of all important files. Having extra copies on hand is the only way to make sure that your data is protected in the case of a hardware failure.

Of course, you can't make a backup every second of every day. Even the new work you've completed in the last hour can be costly to replace. Unfortunately, there is no sure way of saving information in open applications from the inherent dangers of computer errors. All we can do is follow a few guidelines and hope for the best.

When the computer first begins to act up, save whatever information you can that is open on your screen and shut down programs. If the open program itself is giving you trouble, you might have to say goodbye to whatever changes you've made since your last save. Some programs automatically perform mini-saves periodically, but it is always good to be in the habit of saving often for just these situations. Frequent saves are the best way to guard against what are called program crashes or computer crashes. In most cases, data on the hard drive will still be there when the computer sorts itself out or is rebooted.

An actual hard drive crash is a more serious situation. By the time you notice what is happening it may already be too late to save any of the hard drive's data. It might be possible to boot into DOS or Windows 95's (Win95) DOS-like mode and perhaps copy some important files to another diskette, but generally it's time to get ready for a bad day and hope the last backup is recent.

If the computer isn't crashing and the hard drive doesn't make any scary noises, you probably are not facing imminent doom. Save information in open programs and start tracking down the cause of your problem. First, start with the basics.

Easy Answers.

Since computers are among the most obscenely complex devices common in offices and homes, they are prone to many types of errors. Fortunately, some of the most common are also the easiest to fix.

Power up. When your screen is blank and nothing appears to work, first check whether you have power. That means power to both the computer and the monitor, and whatever else seems to be malfunctioning. Some monitors' electric cords plug into the back of the computer, while others plug directly into an AC outlet. External devices such as modems and printers have power cords as well. Plugs can come loose, so make sure everything is connected.

enter> Save data in open programs if possible.

If the computer plugs into a power strip, see whether the power strip has a switch of its own. Check for power-on lights on all the equipment, and see that the power switches are definitely in the "on" position. If nothing works, it could be a problem with the outlet itself or a blown fuse. Try plugging something else into the outlet that you know works.

Boot drive. One of the most frequently mystifying problems is caused by diskettes. Computers boot up according to the instructions written on diskettes or hard drives. Most machines are set to look first for commands on a diskette; failing that, they will turn to the hard drive. That is what usually happens when a computer is rebooted or turned on for the first time each day.

However, if a diskette was inadvertently left in the diskette drive, the computer will follow a different path. If the diskette in question has no startup instructions, the computer will let you know with a little error message. However, some diskettes might boot the computer into DOS rather than the familiar Windows. If you find yourself in that text-only world, check the diskette drive and try booting again without the diskette in place.

Bad connection. Another common malady is the loose cable. All of those peripherals not only have power cords but data cables that run to the computer. Check all the connections for wiggle. Generally, if you are trying to use the wrong kind of cable it won't fit at all, so don't try to force anything.

Phone cords running to and from the modem are especially troublesome. They don't usually fall out, but it can be easy to mix them up. Modems usually have Line In and Line Out or Phone connections. As the names indicate, one is meant to be hooked to the phone cord running out of the wall and the other can optionally be connected to a normal telephone. If a telephone is connected to the modem, lifting the handset will often cause the modem to work improperly. Modems can get themselves into other messes as well (For more information see "Modems: Solving Your Communications Hang-Ups" article in this issue ).

Mouse mishaps. The age-old problem of graphical user interfaces such as Windows is the dusty mouse. Mice that don't seem to work very well won't heal through repeated pounding on the desk or shaking in the air. The only potentially successful treatment is to clean the dust and lint from the roller ball on the underside of the mouse and the tiny rollers that read the ball's movements. For tips on this procedure, see "Mice & Trackballs: Simple Solutions For Simple Creatures" in this issue.

Errant keyboard. Some of the easiest to repair yet most vexing computer quandaries involve the keyboard. When the wackiness starts, make sure a book or other item isn't pressing down on a keyboard key. Maybe the CAPS LOCK, NUM LOCK, or other key has been toggled on. If the keyboard cable has somehow come loose, you will have to reconnect it and then reboot the machine to win back control.

enter> If nothing works, check switches and cords.

No sound. One of the first things to check if the computer isn't providing the sounds you expect is whether the speakers are plugged in and turned on. Adjust the volume to see whether that helps. Win95 often displays a software volume control in the Taskbar as well. See that the speaker cords are connected to the correct sound card jacks—it can be easy to mix up the microphone and speaker plugs.

CD troubles. Simple CD-ROM problems include CDs being inserted upside down, CDs with scratches or dust marring their surfaces, and CD programs that have to be installed or double-clicked before they will run. If the CD doesn't run on its own, open My Computer and double left-click the CD-ROM icon that should be located there. Find the program on the CD that you want to run and double left-click its icon.

enter> Close down any balky applications.

No display. If the monitor is blank and you've already made sure the power and data cords are snuggly connected, try adjusting the monitor controls. Like televisions, computer monitors have knobs or buttons for contrast, brightness, and other settings. Monitors also can be affected by video card problems (for more information see "Monitors" in this issue). Either device is subject to electro-magnetic interference, which can cause fuzzy displays or wavy lines. Try moving the monitor to another location.

Missing printouts. Being mechanical devices with more moving parts than just about any computer peripheral, printers aren't always the most reliable of devices. Assuming the power is on and the cords are well connected, common problems include paper jams and a lack of ink or toner. Remember that many color printers have two ink cartridges, one for black and another for color. Check the printer settings dialog box from whatever program you are trying to print from. Make sure everything is as you want it.

Depending on what other types of equipment you have connected to your computer, you may be able to think up a few more easy answers. If not, it's time to roll up the sleeves and start looking for more complicated solutions.

Isolate The Problem.

If your problem doesn't seem to fall into the "easy" category, the troubleshooting experience begins to get a little more involved. Don't give up yet. Following some standard troubleshooting procedure can help you narrow down a problem and decide whether it is something you might be able to fix. At the very least you should be able to describe it more accurately to technicians, should one be necessary.

enter> Does rebooting help?

The most important rule in troubleshooting virtually any device, from a pencil to the space shuttle, is to isolate the problem. In computers, the first basic fork in the road is determining whether the glitch arises from errant software or balky hardware. Hardware is the term used to describe all the physical components of computers, from the mouse to the CPU. Software is a broad name for the programs that control and run on the computer. A problem in either area can lead to hair-raising consequences, but the solutions are very different.

Hardware malfunctions can crop up at any time. They can alter performance permanently or show themselves only intermittently. Usually they seem to come out of nowhere, without the help of any prodding and poking by the user. Generally it shouldn't matter which software is running when the hardware problem occurs, although some hardware may be used only by certain programs. Try running other programs that use the hardware and see whether the same defects show themselves.

Isolating hardware problems is easiest when you have another computer you can use to try out suspect parts. If a monitor, modem, or whatever else doesn't seem to operate on your computer, try it out on a friend's. Just remember that most devices require drivers to operate properly, so you will have to set up the test machine with the correct software in order for it to work. Similarly, swapping spare components into your machine also can help narrow things down. If your new video card displays only a blank screen but your old video card works fine, at least you know the problem isn't with the monitor.

If other programs seem to get along fine with the suspected hardware, you might want to change your focus to the software side of the equation. Software problems can be divided into a few main categories. The most frustrating are problems built-in by software developers, also known as bugs. Since bugs are basic design flaws, there isn't a whole lot you can do about them. The best bet is to check the developer's World Wide Web site for any workarounds or software patches to deal with the problem.

enter> Try to isolate the problem: Is it hardware or software?

Compatibility is another tricky software area. With so many different types of programs running on endless varieties of computer setups, sometimes programs won't get along with each other or your hardware. Again, the first place to look for guidance is the software manual or the developer's Web site.

User configuration of software also can lead to problems. Read carefully through the help screens and printed instructions to make sure you have all of the user settings correctly configured for what you want to do.

One of the best tools for isolating problems is to think back to happier computing days. When something strange occurs, try to remember whether you have recently changed any hardware or software settings. Perhaps you loaded a new application, uninstalled something, or changed a Windows setting. Maybe you even opened up the hood and replaced or added a new component. In the best of scenarios, you have changed only a single setting or device lately, and it is something you can temporarily undo to see if that makes a difference.

Try not to go troubleshooting up the wrong tree. Some components in the computer are not likely to affect each other. For example, altering a modem speed setting probably won't cause printer errors. However, it is surprising how much some changes can send ripples of discontent throughout a system. Adding one new piece of hardware can cause another seemingly unrelated device to act up.

enter> Has anything been changed lately?

Something you may have to do in order to study a problem carefully is to re-create it. Knowing exactly when a particular trouble shows up is a big step on the road to recovery. Of course, you don't want to try to re-create something horrible. A major hardware malfunction that causes flames to be emitted from the rear of your computer is not something you want to purposefully induce. However, re-creating problems from which you know you can recover somehow, by measures such as rebooting the machine, can let you examine the glitch and communicate important details to the computer gurus.

These general tips can point you in the right direction perhaps, but each type of software and hardware error is going to have its own kind of solution. The basic point to take with you into a new troubleshooting challenge is to work methodically. Try to rule things out through re-creating problems or swapping components. Once you isolate a malfunction, you can start figuring out what it will take to fix it.

by Alan Phelps